The Meeker herald., 1887-09-17
OR Inning.

our readers the final chapter on the late
Ute troubles but the mischieyious, I'M
truthful and misleading statements Of
a few Of our contemporaries compels MS.
in defense Of the citizens OF White
river, to refer TO the matter once more.
Among the false statements now 60
ing the rounds If some at the State and
EASTERN papers isone Purporting to give
the original cause Of the late trouble.
This story, We believe, originated at the
Agency, where numerous other false
have originated, and was given
publicity In an obscure Denver paper
called the Democrat. and is to the effect
that the Indians and cowboys had u
horse race. each side putting up 50 many
head Of horses on the race; that the
Indians won. and that the whites re-
fused 10 give UP the horses won by the
and ran them of after night, and that
the whites hnd the indiana Indicted
for horse stealing In consequence.
Now there Is not grain Of truth in
this story. The facts connected with
the finding OF indictments against the
Indians Sbevaio and Uintah Frank
were as follows: Shcvaio and uin,ah
Frank stole two horses from man
Lem Hammond, living near Rangcly.
and. with u lot OF other horses, sold
them In George Toedt and J. ~. Woods.
As soon as Toeit and Woods found the
horses were stolen they turned them
over To Hammond and made the Indians
replace the stolen stock with horses out
OF their band. The Indians did not
deny stealing IIammond's horses, but
as Hammond had recovered his horses
and Toclt and Woods had been salts
fled. they thought that ended the mat
ter. II didn't cnd the matter, however.
as far as Hammond was concerned. lie
knew that II white man wa, caught
stealing horses his chances Of going 10
Canon City for u tim. w-rr favorable.
and hc could not see why the law should
not apply In the ease Of an Indian ~
matter before the grand jury al the last
session Of thu; body aud indictments were
found agains, the above named Indians.
The papers wer. placed In the hands Of
Sheriff Kendall for service and that Of
ficcr cndcavorcd TO arrest the Indians Ms
he was In duty bound. Whether he eS-
crciscd proper discretion In the dis
charge Of his duty Is u matter Of second.
AIRY Importance. In trying To serve the
warrants he met with resistance on the
part Of the Indians. hence the trouble
that cnsucd.
The original cause and the starter OF
tho late rutnpus was the attempt of the
Game Warden OF this district TO arrest
a number OF Indians for violating the
~.-.--- &c.. - e. 1859 s.--.---- .s.-s ss---
WAS clamor last winter for the passagr
Of law that would protect tho fast dis.
appcrins game of this State. sud in re.
sIonsc To tic denandsof the public that
measures should bc taken 10 protect and
foster the deer. elk aud antelope that
arr indigenous 10 the mountains and
forests Of Colorado. the Legislature
passed the present game law. and nj
the Btst meeting OF the Bcari Of thc
County Commissioners of this county
after the new law went into effect the
Commissioners appointed game wardcns
In the several districts OF the county,
ins'ruc,ing the waricns 10 enforce the
new law.
Tho settlers Of this valley nt once
commenced living up 10 and obc, ing
III. law. Not so the Indians. Colorow's 5
and went to slaushicring deer for the
hides, rs has been their custom for the
past two or three years. This cxa,pcra;c,l
the settlers and complaint was made to
the game warden concerning the doings
OF the Indians. This officer had war
rants issued for the arrest Of the Indians
and in attempting To arrest the red
violators Of the game Law the first col.
lision took place between the civil an-
thoritics of this county and the Indians.
II will bc remembered by our readers
who have kept track OF the main events
In the late trouble. that on Tuesday.
Angus; 9th. the attempt was made by
the game warden aud . number OF
deputies to arrest these Indians and
that the Indians resisted. one OF their
number iirihg ut the game warden's
party. which fire was returned. wound.
ing several Of the Indians. II Will also
be remembered that on the morning fol-
lowing this affair Uncompahgre Colo.
row. brother OF White River Colorow.
rode within speaking distance Of the
warden's camp and told the whites TO
come on; that the ties were fifty strong.
aud after firing into the whites rode
away. This hostile proceeding on the
part Of uncumpahgrc Colorow was taken
us IA declaration OF war by the whites.
In fact there could he no other construc-
ton put upon it.
This was the beginning OF the late
Ute war. What followed is u matter Of
history.
The Colorado Springs Gazette has
seen lit TO abuse and misrcpresent the
people of this community in most
ou,rages manner. And whyp For no
other reason. as far as we can see. than
that We appealed to the State for aid
wien threatened with an Indian out
break. We did not apply for assistance
until the necessities OF the case dc.
manded II. and not until white settlers
had been fired on on three different oc-